1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handrails and grab bars, and more particular to a rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system.
2. Background Information
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability or support. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways in order to prevent injurious falls. They can also be called banisters and balustrades. Handrails are typically supported by posts (or balusters) or mounted directly to walls. Other common handrail applications include handrails surrounding balconies.
A further common handrail application is forming a barre (also called a bar), which serve as training aids for ballet dancers. A barre is a stationary handrail that is used during ballet warm up exercises. The term also refers to the exercises that are performed at the barre, as well as that part of a ballet class that incorporates barre exercises.
A further common subset of handrails is known as grab bars. A grab bar is commonly identified as a bar forming a handhold which is designed to help people with disabilities. Grab bars are commonly found in accessible restrooms where they help people get in and out of wheelchairs and walkers. Grab bars can also be installed in full bathrooms to help people navigate the bathroom. In some homes, grab bars are installed in many locations around the house, anticipating a variety of potential needs. Although there is no precise limit or defining length, a grab bar is generally a shorter type hand rail. In fact in most applications a grab bar is a hand rail having only two supports.
There are a number of hand rail and grab bar systems illustrated in the prior art. For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,328 assigned to Constructions Specialties, Inc. discloses a rail and wall support installation includes an adapter which mechanically couples a wall support having a rotatable locking cam portion to an undercut groove on the rear of the rail. The adapter serves both as a mechanical attachment point for the rail to a wall support and to transfer the cam action of the locking cam portion to the rail. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,508,458 and 6,270,058 also assigned to Constructions Specialties, Inc. discloses a similar systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,164 describes handrail system for suspending a handrail spaced from a supporting structure such as a wall with internal clamping brackets providing a trim appearance. The handrail system includes an elongated generally cylindrical rail body having a tubular wall of generally uniform wall thickness surrounding a hollow interior region. Slots are formed in the tubular wall along a line parallel with the rail axis. A rail support assembly connects each slot to the supporting structure. Each rail support structure includes a pair of similar stamped and formed metal brackets. Each bracket includes a flat body and an arm of reduced size extending from the body at an angle and defining a pair of rail engaging shoulders on the body. The arms are inserted through a slot into generally side-by-side relation within the hollow interior region with the shoulders extending beyond the slots. A threaded fastener engages the support structure and the brackets for clamping the bodies together and separating the arms to clamp the interior of the rail and hold the rail against the shoulders.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,433,360 and 3,343,811 disclose handrail mounting systems. Other relevant teachings can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,306,641, 3,223,371, 2,886,278, and 2,807,834.
Many currently available commercial grab bar products are configured with a flange mount that typically utilizes a two or three bolt-mounting pattern. When vertically mounted, these patterns provide for typically only one fastener, at best, on each end to align with a wall stud. If horizontally mounted, engaging a stud with a fastener is only possible if the length of the grab bar is such that it agrees with the spacing of the wall studs, and more often than not, the spacing does not agree. When anchoring to a wall stud is not possible, current grab bar manufacturers recommend using special fasteners such as a Wingits™ brand specialty fasteners and similar fasteners, or toggle bolts or the like. Wingits™ are very expensive and labor intensive. Toggle bolts are not as strong as anchoring to a stud. Consequently wall anchoring of the supports to a stud is preferred.
Thus, for optimum mounting strength, the length of the grab bar must match the spacing of the wall studs so that a fastener can be secured directly to a wall stud. Current commercial grab bar lengths are not adjustable or selectable. As noted above, many if not most of the available grab bar lengths do not agree with stud spacing. Installation is more involved, more time consuming, more labor intensive and more expensive when using special fasteners such as Wingits™ type fasteners, which are necessary when, anchoring to a wall stud is not possible.
Despite the plethora of handrail and grab bar systems developed there remains a need for a cost effective rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system. There is a need for an easy and cost effective rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system and easy back to back grab bar mounting.